The Bernice Garden Farmers' Market Every Sunday from April 22, 2018 through October10:00am-2:00pm

The Bernice Garden1401 Main St.Little Rock, AR 72202

The Bernice Garden Farmers’ Market, a downtown Little Rock favorite, is set to be open from Sunday, April 22, 2018 through October. Co-owner Kecia McCracken is excited about the Farmers’ Market opening because “it brings the SoMa district alive during Little Rock’s best seasons. It also shows SoMa’s commitment to supporting local and small businesses.” All vendors are local Arkansas growers and will gather every Sunday until October to bring Little Rock fresh, local produce. This is the 5th consecutive year of the Bernice Garden Farmer’s Market and it has become a SoMa community staple. In addition to fresh produce, each week market-goers will find fresh flowers, live music, food trucks, and more.

The Bernice Garden opened in 2007 with sustainable design principles in mind. One of the most successful and beloved projects of the Garden has been the Farmers’ Market, which opens each year from April to November and features local farmers and fresh produce. The Garden, a private space intended for public use, can also be booked for private parties, weddings, and benefits.

In this beginner class, Amy Davis of @lilylaneart teaches the basics of modern brush calligraphy. You will become familiar with different tools of the trade, hand holds, paper matters, and drills as well as the alphabet. Everything you need to get started comes in a curated starter kit you will use in class and then take home for practice. No experience necessary! Even if you think your handwriting is so bad you could never learn brush calligraphy, Amy promises with practice you CAN learn! Age 13+, please. Must know cursive!Expect a super fun and relaxed environment.

Saturday May 26, 10-1 PM

Class cost is $40. A materials fee of $40 will be due to Amy at class time. Spaces are limited, registration is required.

Join us for the second annual Africa Day Fest which will be held on Saturday May 26th, 2018 on South Main Street in Downtown Little Rock, from 11am – 6pm.

Africa Day Fest is a FREE street festival that brings people from across the state to Little Rock to celebrate African arts and culture through music, food, dance performances, fashion show and children’s activities.

Don’t miss this family-friendly event – “A Community Festival Like No Other”

Join us for this fun and super-informative needle-felting workshop taught by Dani Ives of @begoodnatured! Explore the art of Painting With Wool and learn lots of two-dimensional needle-felting techniques you’ll be able to apply to your own tastes and style. Your materials kit (that you’ll use and take home after class) will include everything needed to finish multiple projects: felting foam pad, felting needles in two sizes, various fabric for backgrounds, a 6” embroidery hoop and lots of wool!After an introduction to basics, Dani will dive into more specific methods to build up your felting skills. Discussion and demonstrations include getting an image onto your fabric, different techniques for blending colors, and how to achieve fine details and various textures.You can work at your own pace and Dani will provide one-on-one assistance as needed. Come with an idea or two of something you’d like to create! Bring your reference photos on your phone or printed (approx. 5” x 7”) on paper if you’d like to transfer it directly rather than sketching it. (Dani is happy to answer any questions or help you choose the project you’d like to work on, her email is: hello@daniives.com)You’ll also get free access to Dani’s online felting course, Felt With Me, (www.feltwithme.com, $65 value). This course will provide you with additional projects, lessons and help you refresh what you learned in the workshop. Yay!Age 14+, please.

Saturday June 2, 2018, 1 PM-4 PM

Class fee is $95. A materials fee of $25 will be due to teacher at time of class.

Join us for this fun and super-informative needle-felting workshop taught by Dani Ives of @begoodnatured! Explore the art of Painting With Wool and learn lots of two-dimensional needle-felting techniques you’ll be able to apply to your own tastes and style. Your materials kit (that you’ll use and take home after class) will include everything needed to finish multiple projects: felting foam pad, felting needles in two sizes, various fabric for backgrounds, a 6” embroidery hoop and lots of wool!After an introduction to basics, Dani will dive into more specific methods to build up your felting skills. Discussion and demonstrations include getting an image onto your fabric, different techniques for blending colors, and how to achieve fine details and various textures.You can work at your own pace and Dani will provide one-on-one assistance as needed. Come with an idea or two of something you’d like to create! Bring your reference photos on your phone or printed (approx. 5” x 7”) on paper if you’d like to transfer it directly rather than sketching it. (Dani is happy to answer any questions or help you choose the project you’d like to work on, her email is: hello@daniives.com)You’ll also get free access to Dani’s online felting course, Felt With Me, (www.feltwithme.com, $65 value). This course will provide you with additional projects, lessons and help you refresh what you learned in the workshop. Yay!Age 14+, please.

Saturday June 2, 2018, 5:30 – 8:30 PM

Class fee is $95. A materials fee of $25 will be due to teacher at time of class.

Whether it’s nostalgia, a love of handcrafted art or plain old fun, something will draw you to The Bernice Garden Market. And once seen it, you’ll have to come back because everything is so unique.

If you see an item at the market, you’ll know it’s special – our rules are tough! All items sold must fall into one of these categories:• Vintage = 20 years and older• Antique = 50 years and older• Upcycled/Recycled = utilizing older items to make new ones• Handmade Goods• Original Art

In addition, all items sold must be unique, esoteric, wacky, fun, high-quality and clean. The last two are non-negotiables. We host quality events at The Bernice Garden.

Like at our Farmers’ Market, you’ll always find smiling faces and meet up with old friends – or new. The Garden just attracts a good time.

Free admission for shoppers adds to the fun and convenience.

All proceeds from the sale of the goods and produce go directly to the market’s participants. Booth rental goes to The Bernice Garden to provide electricity and other amenities to the participants.

If you need any additional impetus to come, consider this: Vintage is not only fun, funky or beautiful, it’s also good for the environment. Everything that goes ‘round more than once is one less thing that lands in a landfill. And a healthy environment, something we’re proud to promote, is what keeps this old world turning. Along with vintage items, The Bernice Garden is proud to support local artists and craftspeople.

Interested in being a vendor? Email bernicegarden@gmail.com with “Market vendor application, please” as your subject line. We will have 30 spots available this year.

Note to potential vendors: A Tax ID number is not required to sell at The Bernice Garden Market, but all vendors are required to pay 9% sales tax on all items sold. Please figure this into your pricing. If you do not have a Tax ID#, we will provide you with a tax payment form, collect your taxes due at the close of each market and remit all taxes to the Arkansas Department of Finance. We are legally bound to do so.

For more information, see: http://www.thebernicegarden.org/?page_id=3855

Note: This is an intermediate class. You must know cursive and have some brush lettering experience to participate.

Take the next step in your creative journey with Brush Lettering 201! In this follow-up to Brush Lettering 101, Amy will teach shading, joining letters, bouncing and basic composition.Bring your pens and paper from the starter kit you purchased in the 101 class or any brush pens you like. Your $10 materials fee gets you a brush pen to use for shading and paper for class practice. Amy may even pop in an extra surprise! Bring your favorite quote, saying, etc. to use in learning composition. Age 13+ please.

Saturday June 9, 2018, 10-1:00 PM

Class fee is $60. A materials fee of $10 will be due to teacher at time of class.

Join us for this exciting workshop taught by artist Aaron Sanders Head (www.aaronsandershead.com) from Nashville, TN. Students will learn basics of shibori resist dyeing, with a concentration on folded, tied and clamped resist, and will learn to dye natural fiber goods in a vat of plant-derived indigo dye. A linen scarf and small cotton tote are included in materials fee, along with a supply of cotton and muslin fabric for experimentation. Students may bring their own goods to dye, but should avoid bulky pieces (towels, jackets, bedding etc.). Cellulose fibers (cotton, linen, rayon, ramie) accept the color the best. Pre-wash in hot water before the workshop. If time and materials allow, more experimental dyeing (paper, wax-resist, yarn, hair) can be done at the end of the workshop. Students should wear old clothing and shoes that can be stained, as the dye will splash. Age 16 and up, please.

Bring a brown bag lunch and drink; a dessert will be provided.

Sunday, June 10, 2018 11 AM-4 PM

Class cost is $95. A materials fee of $25 will be due to Aaron at time of class. Spaces are limited, online registration/payment is required to reserve your spot!

June 15, "Water Gardens" by Mark Gibson. Always a favorite, Mark will delight with another water garden segment, exploring fresh ideas for your garden.

Celebrating our 10th Anniversary in 2018, the Downtown Dames sponsor the gardening lectures at 9:00 A.M. the third Saturday morning, April through October. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the beauty of Little Rock's oldest cemetery, dating to 1843. A suggested donation of $5.00 per person, benefits projects at Mount Holly Cemetery. Refreshments and door prizes provided by the Downtown Dames! Attendance may be counted as educational hours for Master Gardeners.

July 21, "Shady Characters" by Rand Retzolff. Rand will share the ultimate direction for shade gardens.

Celebrating our 10th Anniversary in 2018, the Downtown Dames sponsor the gardening lectures at 9:00 A.M. the third Saturday morning, April through October. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the beauty of Little Rock's oldest cemetery, dating to 1843. A suggested donation of $5.00 per person, benefits projects at Mount Holly Cemetery. Refreshments and door prizes provided by the Downtown Dames! Attendance may be counted as educational hours for Master Gardeners.

August 18, "Propagation 101" by Susan Rose. We always adore Susan! This segment will provide tips and guides for propagating your plants, roses and perennials.

Celebrating our 10th Anniversary in 2018, the Downtown Dames sponsor the gardening lectures at 9:00 A.M. the third Saturday morning, April through October. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the beauty of Little Rock's oldest cemetery, dating to 1843. A suggested donation of $5.00 per person, benefits projects at Mount Holly Cemetery. Refreshments and door prizes provided by the Downtown Dames! Attendance may be counted as educational hours for Master Gardeners.

September 15, "Ancient Botanical Wonders in Arkansas" by Theo Witsell, Ecologist and Botanist, with the Department of Natural Heritage. This program will certainly be a highlight of our series! There will be something for everyone to enjoy, no matter what your interests.

Celebrating our 10th Anniversary in 2018, the Downtown Dames sponsor the gardening lectures at 9:00 A.M. the third Saturday morning, April through October. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the beauty of Little Rock's oldest cemetery, dating to 1843. A suggested donation of $5.00 per person, benefits projects at Mount Holly Cemetery. Refreshments and door prizes provided by the Downtown Dames! Attendance may be counted as educational hours for Master Gardeners.

October 20, "Earths Bounty--Planning Your Pollinator Garden" by Chris Wyman, Heifer Village and Urban Farm. Chris' program will include native plant and pollinator housing techniques.

Celebrating our 10th Anniversary in 2018, the Downtown Dames sponsor the gardening lectures at 9:00 A.M. the third Saturday morning, April through October. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the beauty of Little Rock's oldest cemetery, dating to 1843. A suggested donation of $5.00 per person, benefits projects at Mount Holly Cemetery. Refreshments and door prizes provided by the Downtown Dames! Attendance may be counted as educational hours for Master Gardeners.

South Main St., 13th Street all the way to 17th Street - four blocks that run in front of Bernice Garden.

The Arkansas Cornbread Festival builds community by raising awareness of the South Main in Little Rock (SoMa) community while celebrating Southern culture and heritage through food, artisan crafts, and music. Come enjoy the music, enticing aromas, and the promise of family fun in downtown Little Rock.

A foodie competition like no other! Teams compete for cash prizes and awards to determine who makes the best cornbread and yummy complementing side item in both Professional and Amateur categories. Cornbread winners from both categories are chosen by popular vote, you the people attending, and are awarded $1000 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for best side item. There is also a panel of judges who give blue ribbon awards as well, sort of like a best in show! The Festival is open to the public, but the purchase of a Cornbread Tasting Ticket lets you taste the many cornbread competitors dishes and vote for your favorite – tickets will be available online and at the Green Corner Store soon.

SoMa businesses are open with specials for attendees, along with food trucks, local breweries, live music, arts and crafts vendors. And we didn’t forget about the smaller cornbread lovers, bring them to Cosmo’s Kids Corner for interactive fun and games. Bonding over cornbread is a southern tradition, and once you’ve had a taste of SoMa, you’ll have to come back for more.

Interested in competing? Or bringing your foodtruck? Or being a vendor? How about volunteering? Contact us about opportunities or for more information at info@arkansascornbreadfestival.com or through Facebook @ArkansasCornbreadFestival.

Debbie of Whispering Wool teaches this intermediate class based on Sarafina Fiber Art which includes techniques such as building an armature, wrapping appendages, and using a special wax called SWAX, made specifically for wool projects. These techniques will get you on your way to all kinds of amazing needle-felted wool projects! Age 14+, please. Must have needle-felting experience.Bring your needles, felting pad, and a pair of small needle-nosed pliers. Materials fee covers wire, wool, and SWAX. Extra supplies will be available for purchase if needed.

We’ll have a bit of a lunch break, so bring a sack lunch or enjoy lunch from a local SoMa restaurant!

Saturday May 19, 2018, 10 AM-3:00 PM

Class fee is $50. A materials fee of $30 will be due to teacher at time of class.

Granny squares are a classic crochet technique that can be used to create blankets, pillows, bags, coasters, scarves, and so much more. These little squares are fun, quick, and easy to make, even if you have never touched a crochet hook before. Join Sam Stadter in this class for complete beginners or crocheters with a little experience. By the end of class, students will have created at least one granny square and be prepared to make many more! Please register by May 11 so that supplies can be purchased. Age 7+, please.

ESSE Purse Museum, in collaboration with Bernice Garden, will host an alternative bridal event this Spring. The Bernice Garden attracts couples that appreciate the unconventional. This is a unique opportunity for attendees to explore small businesses and independent vendors that they may not find elsewhere. It’s also an opportunity for small businesses that have a creative edge to market their wedding-related products and services to a targeted audience. The event culminates in a fashion show to bring the vision of an alternative wedding to life.

The Bernice Garden is located at 1401 Main Street in Little Rock. Call (501)410-3938 for more information.

In this exciting class, students will learn a special technique using fine silver PMC3 to transform organic objects into beautiful sculptural pieces suitable for wearing as art jewelry! In Part A, Marianne Hennigar instructs on the properties of the medium and its application. Students will develop a design, begin building the piece, and receive personal guidance in trouble shooting for their work.This process requires several layers with dry time in-between. Students will need to apply additional layers at home before returning to Part B class.**What to bring with you: Dried seed pods, plant stems, dried flowers, combustible curiosities, beetle shells, lace or interesting fabric, things made of paper, items that will burn out during kiln-firing. Marianne will also bring items from which you may choose to broaden your selection. Size limit: approximately 2”-3”

Part BTuesday, May 15, 5:30-7:30 PM

Marianne will guide students in refining and softening their work, making any needed corrections or additions in preparation for firing. She will demonstrate findings and fastenings in case there are beads or stones from her available selection you may want to add. Pieces will be fired and work-hardened. Pick-up time will be during store hours Saturday, May 19.Time permitting, you may want to start another piece for which we can connect later to kiln fire.

In this beginner-level class, Marianne H. Hennigar introduces basic skills for creating unique wearable treasures in fine silver. PMC3 is 99.9% pure silver particles suspended in a moldable matrix. When kiln-fired at 1650 degrees, the matrix burns away, leaving a finer than sterling silver piece, which will not tarnish. Students will create small items suitable for earrings, pendants and charms. Marianne will also demo basic findings assembly, so your pieces are ready to wear as soon as they are fired. Class fee includes kiln fire and polishing your work. Fired and polished pieces will be ready for pickup on Tuesday, May 8 at noon. Feel free to pick up pieces anytime during regular store hours.

No experience necessary. Age 14 +, please.

Sunday May 6, 2018, 12:00-4:00 PM

Class fee is $67.00. A materials fee of $34 will be due to teacher at time of class. Spaces are limited; online registration & payment is required to reserve your spot.

“Cutting Edge,” a mod new exhibit, will tear through ESSE Purse Museum for three weeks, Tuesday, May 1, through Sunday, May 20. The exhibit features fun, chic paper dresses from the 1960s, clothes that could be hemmed and altered with a pair of scissors and repaired with a piece of tape.

Mixed-media artist Laura Fanning’s Caution: Garment May Be Flammable collection of paper clothing – to be hung on the wall, not the body – makes up the rest of the exhibit. Fanning’s pieces are for sale; the vintage dresses are just a trip down memory lane, even though you’ll want one.

But you will have a chance to make your own paper “clothes or collages” if you choose to attend Fanning’s fun workshop Saturday, May 19, from 1 to 3 p.m.Cost, which includes materials, is $30; 20 spots are available, so rip yourself away from what you’re doing and make a reservation right now.

ESSE Purse Museum & Store is located at 1510 Main St. in Little Rock. Call (501) 916-9022 for information, directions or to reserve a workshop spot.

Note: This is an intermediate class. You must know cursive and have some brush lettering experience to participate.

Take the next step in your creative journey with Brush Lettering 201! In this follow-up to Brush Lettering 101, Amy will teach shading, joining letters, bouncing and basic composition.Bring your pens and paper from the starter kit you purchased in the 101 class or any brush pens you like. Your $10 materials fee gets you a brush pen to use for shading and paper for class practice. Amy may even pop in an extra surprise! Bring your favorite quote, saying, etc. to use in learning composition. Age 13+ please.

Saturday April 28, 2018, 10-1:00 PM

Class fee is $60. A materials fee of $10 will be due to teacher at time of class.

Whether it’s nostalgia, a love of handcrafted art or plain old fun, something will draw you to The Bernice Garden Market. And once seen it, you’ll have to come back because everything is so unique.

If you see an item at the market, you’ll know it’s special – our rules are tough! All items sold must fall into one of these categories:• Vintage = 20 years and older• Antique = 50 years and older• Upcycled/Recycled = utilizing older items to make new ones• Handmade Goods• Original Art

In addition, all items sold must be unique, esoteric, wacky, fun, high-quality and clean. The last two are non-negotiables. We host quality events at The Bernice Garden.

Like at our Farmers’ Market, you’ll always find smiling faces and meet up with old friends – or new. The Garden just attracts a good time.

Free admission for shoppers adds to the fun and convenience.

All proceeds from the sale of the goods and produce go directly to the market’s participants. Booth rental goes to The Bernice Garden to provide electricity and other amenities to the participants.

If you need any additional impetus to come, consider this: Vintage is not only fun, funky or beautiful, it’s also good for the environment. Everything that goes ‘round more than once is one less thing that lands in a landfill. And a healthy environment, something we’re proud to promote, is what keeps this old world turning. Along with vintage items, The Bernice Garden is proud to support local artists and craftspeople.

Interested in being a vendor? Email bernicegarden@gmail.com with “Market vendor application, please” as your subject line. We will have 30 spots available this year.

Note to potential vendors: A Tax ID number is not required to sell at The Bernice Garden Market, but all vendors are required to pay 9% sales tax on all items sold. Please figure this into your pricing. If you do not have a Tax ID#, we will provide you with a tax payment form, collect your taxes due at the close of each market and remit all taxes to the Arkansas Department of Finance. We are legally bound to do so.

For more information, see: http://www.thebernicegarden.org/?page_id=3855

Leigh of @leigh_jacobs_art leads this fun introduction to basic free-form embroidery. Participants will create a cute sampler of basic stitches surrounding a focal word of your choice. Your 5” hoop sampler will include running stitch, blanket stitch, chain stitch, back stitch, and French knots. After learning these basics, you’ll be on your way to creative embroidery projects!

Thursday, April 26, 5:30-7:30

Class fee is $30. A materials fee of $10 will be due to Leigh at class time. Spaces are limited; online registration & payment is required to reserve your spot.

The parade will begin at the intersection of S. Main and 24th Street in Little Rock.

Floats and walkers will head down South Main until the parade concludes at the intersection of S. Main and 12th Street.

We are looking for Parade Entries - Mardi Gras Kings & Queens, Festive Walking Groups, Floats with Music, Marching Bands, Youth Groups, Vintage Cars, etc. This is a Mardi Gras Celebration and your entry should reflect the spirit. A cash prize will be awarded to the most authentic, Louisiana-style parade entry! There is no entry fee but a registration form is required.

We have a new exhibit at ESSE titled EXPOSED: Unmentionables 1900s - 1960s. We would like to invite you all to come by this Thursday (2/1) from 4 - 6 pm for a special reception open to the press and our SoMa neighbors (free of charge).

ESSE Purse Museum is excited to announce a new temporary exhibit Exposed: Unmentionables, 1900s-1960s, which opens Tuesday, January 30, 2018. The exhibit runs through Sunday, April 29, and is included in regular admission price.

Typically not displayed for all to view, undergarments offer a unique view into a woman’s life and the measures she will take to achieve a certain look. This exhibit aims to showcase the evolving perceptions of the ideal female figure and the contraptions it takes to achieve it.

Pain is beauty, or is it? Certainly every woman has experienced the discomfort of a binding undergarment, but the pain inflicted by these present-day garments is minor compared to what women were expected to endure. As we look back to the early 1900s, typically restrictive foundation garments are beginning to be designed with a woman’s well being in mind. The invention of new materials and evolving beauty ideals led to less of a reliance on these garments to mold a woman’s body and more on them to enhance the beauty that is innately present.

The artifacts on display are from ESSE’s permanent collection and include dress forms, corsets, advertisements, slips, photographs and other special accessories.